Synthesis of interstellar benzonitrile (c-C6H5CN): A microwave spectroscopic study

McGuire, Brett A.

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/100730 Copy

Description

Title

Synthesis of interstellar benzonitrile (c-C6H5CN): A microwave spectroscopic study

Author(s)

McGuire, Brett A.

Contributor(s)

• McCarthy, Michael C.
• Lee, Kelvin

Issue Date

2018-06-20

Keyword(s)

Astronomy

Abstract

Benzonitrile (c-C6H5CN) has recently been detected in the interstellar medium - the first molecule containing a benzene ring to be observed by radio astronomy. Its detection in a cold, starless dark cloud affords one the opportunity to probe aromatic chemistry at the earliest stages of the star formation process. Here, we explore the formation chemistry of benzonitrile using a combination of laboratory microwave spectroscopic and quantum chemical approaches. We demonstrate the synthesis of benzonitrile from a variety simple, acyclic precursors (acetylene [HCCH], diacetylene [HC4H], cyanoacetylene [HC3N], and 1,3-butadiene [CH2(CH)2CH2]), providing definitive evidence for facile bottom-up generation of aromatic carbon chemistry from small interstellar precursors. The results show that benzonitrile can already be used as a reliable proxy for the presence of benzene in the ISM, and that there may exist a much larger array of aromatic species that are ‘hidden’ just below the current sensitivity of spectral surveys.

Publisher

International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy

Type of Resource

text

Language

eng

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/100730

DOI

10.15278/isms.2018.WL12

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2018 Brett A. McGuire

Owning Collections